


Neon Angel

by JustAnotherBlonde



Series: A Lifetime of Moments [14]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Flashbacks, Kintsugi, M/M, One Night Stands, Past Relationship(s), very mildly referenced homophobia - they get their asses kicked pretty fast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27100951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherBlonde/pseuds/JustAnotherBlonde
Summary: Deidara reminds Itachi what happened the summer before Deidara came to university--the night they first met
Relationships: Deidara & Uchiha Itachi, Deidara/Sasori (Naruto), Deidara/Uchiha Itachi
Series: A Lifetime of Moments [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878778
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Neon Angel

**Author's Note:**

> when adapting canon events to this AU, i kept thinking about the scene when Deidara and Itachi first meet: Itachi framed in the stained-glass window and Deidara sighing "Beautiful..." but then how Dei develops a strong hatred for the Uchiha right after.
> 
> i wanted to keep Deidara's mentality, but completely change up the events for the AU. let me know what you think!

While he waited for Itachi to turn up at the warehouse, Deidara half-heartedly tried to tidy up the space. He didn’t want Mr. Perfect judging him for the state of his workshop…

_I know he doesn’t give a damn what this place looks like. This all is in my head, mn,_ Deidara thought. _God, this is stupid._ That thought had crossed his mind at least a thousand times since he woke up that morning.

He found himself standing in the middle of the vast space with a half-finished detonation device in his hand wondering where he’d picked it up as well as where it belonged. Probably on the shelf nearest the collection of crates that had become his work table. _What am I doing??_ he thought angrily. He threw the device at the wall and it shattered into dozens of tiny pieces.

“Shit.” That would be impossible to fix. But it had made him feel better. He grinned and turned to the carefully arranged piles of broken pottery he’d created earlier that morning. Most of the vessels he’d scrounged from the trash: his warehouse was near the canal, home to a high concentration of the city’s dumpsters which Deidara had come to think of as his treasure trove.

Just as he was about to check the time on his phone, he heard a tap at the door. It was just after two o’clock, an hour and a half after Deidara had texted Itachi to say he was free. That morning, Sasori had been distant and a chilly, uncomfortable atmosphere had filled the apartment: it wasn’t the warm, homey brunch Deidara had become accustomed to over the past few months. It was like Sasori was going through the motions because he had to, not because he enjoyed it. Something was on his mind. After Sasori finished tidying up the kitchen he’d left the apartment, saying simply that he wanted to spend some time at the library.

“Sorry,” Itachi apologized as he stepped through the door. “You said after two, I wasn’t expecting you to be free earlier.”

“Me neither, mn,” Deidara grumbled.

Itachi scanned the space, his gaze landing on the piles of pottery. “You’ve been busy,” he commented. “Where did you get all those?”

Deidara shrugged.

“Did you get all the supplies?” Itachi said, rolling up his sleeves and kneeling over one of the piles.

“Mn,” Deidara replied, gazing at Itachi’s back. He kneeled without hunching, his shoulders square and proud. A thought struck Deidara then.

“Did you ever train in the military, Itachi?” he asked, brow furrowing.

Itachi looked up, surprised.

“No… Why would you ask that?”

Deidara’s gaze slid sideways. The fight he’d witnessed on that night he tried so hard to forget replayed in front of his eyes. _It can’t hurt to try asking him about it one more time,_ Deidara thought. _It’s been nearly a year. We’re alone, not in front of a class. We’ve been out drinking together since. He knows me now. He has no reason to pretend he doesn’t remember, mn._

“You hold your back so straight,” Deidara began, “like you’ve been through boot camp, at least.”

Itachi laughed. “Well, juvie was basically boot camp… But before that, my dad had me in all these martial arts classes. He used to…” he trailed off and frowned. He was still squatting down by the broken cups and plates.

“Wow, were you just about to open up and share something about your past?” Deidara couldn’t help himself: he laughed. He’d spent an entire year aggravating Itachi. It was easier to mock him than hold a serious conversation. He immediately regretted laughing. “I’m sorry, Itachi, I didn’t mean that… mn.”

“No.” Itachi cut him off. He was giving Deidara that same appraising look he’d given the day Deidara commented on his painting. “I think Sasori’s softening your edges, Deidara-san. It’s good.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, mn?” Deidara shot back, eyes narrowed.

Itachi studied him with those strange, blood-red eyes. “You have a lot of anger. But you used to tear through people like a tornado. Now… at least you look back at the destruction and apologize. You try to make amends.”

Deidara flushed. _How the_ hell _does he do that? How deep do those eyes see…?_

“I know why you hate me, Deidara-san,” Itachi said in a low, gentle voice. “I know it wasn’t because I topped that climb on the Teeth.”

These words were like a bucket of ice water dumped on Deidara’s head. He stepped forward and landed on his knees beside Itachi.

“You fucking remember??” he hissed. “You fucker! You—”

Itachi sat heavily on the floor and sighed. “What was I supposed to do when you confronted me in class? I could have lost my job if anyone had believed you.”

“Believed m—Itachi, it wasn’t a lie! Maybe you _should_ have lost your job if it was such a terrible thing, mn!”

Looking ten years older and twice as weary, Itachi rubbed a hand over his eyes and covered his mouth. He looked like he was weighing his words.

“I don’t…” he began uncertainly. He drew a deep breath and continued in a stronger voice. “I don’t actually remember _everything_ that happened that night.”

The corner of Deidara’s mouth twitched up in a smirk. “You were drunk off your ass, mn.”

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just alcohol…” Itachi sighed. He looked up, locking eyes with Deidara. “Are we doing this right now? Talking about this?”

Deidara shrugged. “If you want… mn.” He tried to sound noncommittal but Itachi’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s been eating you up, hasn’t it?” he asked, the beginnings of a sly smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Deidara’s punch connected with Itachi’s upper arm before he was even aware he’d moved.

“This isn’t a joke!” he exclaimed. “It was humiliating! Mn!”

Itachi laughed, eyes dancing. “Why? What even happened? We danced, we kissed…?”

Mouth hanging agape, Deidara was tempted to punch him again. “You really don’t remember…” he murmured under his breath. “Fine. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Let me tell you what happened the week I spent exploring this city the summer before I started uni.

“It’s the wonderful story,” he drawled sarcastically, “of one blond idiot’s fruitless search for his knight in neon armor and the subsequent breaking of his foolish heart.”

This wiped the smile off Itachi’s face. He said nothing as Deidara began his story. Inhaling deeply, Deidara decided that if he was going to tell it, he’d tell it with flair. He sat firmly on the floor, tossed his hair over his shoulder and began to narrate:

"It was Day Three of what was turning out to be a week-long bender, mn. My parents had given me a wad of money, a credit card and a fancy hotel room with the instruction to make a reconnaissance mission of it: figure out where I’d want to stay, where I’d buy groceries, where I’d wash my clothes. The usual shit, just without parents present to actually help. I made it my goal to not spend any more time than I had to in that damn hotel room, thinking that would be the best way to waste their money. I think I slept on a park bench on Day One. My plan was to cycle my way through all the restaurants, pubs and clubs the city had to offer, and on Day Three I made it to Canal Street. Everything I saw there, from the drag shows at Stella’s to the Snake Den and Kiss Lounge helped me make up my mind: this was the city for me, mn.

"I spent most of the night at Kiss, dancing and doing shots with a group of venture capital interns. But when Kiss closed around 2am, I had to head for even more poorly-lit pastures. Snake Den was still open, but I passed it by, turned off by the pop music spilling out the doors. Instead, I was intrigued by the orange neon sign over what looked like fire escape stairs that said “Hatter’s” and the distant sound of thumping techno.

“Mn. That’s right, we met at Hatter’s, bathed in neon and blacklight. You had your hair up in a bun and glowsticks wrapped up and down your arms. You were dancing with your eyes closed in the middle of the crowd, mm.”

Deidara stared hard at Itachi, who blushed.

“You’re on a very short list of people who have seen me dance…” Itachi muttered at the floor.

“You were high as a fucking kite that night, Itachi, mn.

“But I was mesmerized. I jumped right in, and you saw me. You put your hand on my waist—”

“Woah, I said there was a lot I don’t remember from that night, but you don’t have to—”

Deidara just grinned wickedly and carried on talking:

"—and ground your hips into mine. I didn’t even make it to the bar for a drink. You had me snared, like a rabbit in a hawk’s beak. I never even saw the rest of the place, couldn’t have told you how many people were there that night. You’re a damn good dancer, mn.

"It didn’t take that long for you to kiss me. It was dark, I couldn’t see your eyes. You weren’t looking at me with your eyes anyway, mn.

"I don’t remember how we got outside, but there we were, downstairs, my back up against the gritty brick wall of the building, your lips _everywhere_ : my face, my neck, my stomach, my—"

“Stop!” Itachi nearly shouted. His cheeks flushed bright red. “Look, I get it! What’s wrong with you?!”

“You gave me a blowjob right there in the alley, you freak, mn,” Deidara grinned, enjoying Itachi’s discomfort. It would make the next part easier to tell.

“I didn’t!!” Itachi exclaimed, all color drained from his face.

Deidara’s grin widened; he waited one moment longer, milking it for all it was worth, then confessed:

“No, I’m bullshitting you. You didn’t. Unfortunately, mn.”

"After we made out a bit more, we wandered out into the street. I was hoping you’d invite me back to yours for more, but the night had other plans…

"We drifted out of the mouth of the alley. Somewhere between there and the end of the street was when they appeared. God knows what a gang of homophobic assholes were doing on Canal Street that time of night. Maybe they were lost. Maybe their subconscious had called them there. Whatever it was, there they were. And they didn’t like us holding hands. Or my gorgeous hair. Hair I’d spent years growing out after the army, mn. They called me a tranny, they called you a lady-boy. We ignored them and walked off. They followed, dogging our steps. One pinched my ass. I punched him in the face, and that’s when I realized that there were seven of them. And suddenly I was on my back, my nose bleeding, ears ringing, cringing for the kick to the ribs I knew was coming… Then BAM! One’s on his back. You’re flying like some black-and-neon angel with your stupid glowstick armbands and kicking the shit out of them. All seven of them, mn. Six run off, one’s unconscious and forgotten, and I’m about to pass out when you stand in front of me and extend your hand, like the prince in some dumbass shojo anime. I think you said something stupid like, “Are you hurt?” in that deep voice of yours and I fucking melted. I wasn’t even embarrassed that I had fared so badly in a fight after all the years I spent in the military. I was just… head over heels. Bastard. Mn.

"I looked up and under the glaring streetlight I saw your eyes for the first time. The color of them. Blood red. I shivered all over, felt like I was staring down a vampire…

"Then I passed out.

"What I don’t get is if you were so off your tits that you couldn’t remember any of that, how did you have the presence of mind to search my pockets, find my key and carry me to my hotel? You must have carried me. I always imagined you carrying me like a princess in your arms. There was more… In the hotel. I remember you being there, in the dark. I remember…"

They both pointedly avoided each other’s eyes.

"But I know you didn’t stay the night because you weren’t there when I woke up. Mn. The only evidence I had that it wasn’t all a dream was the lonely glowstick I found curled up on the floor.

"Anyway, that’s not the worst part, mn. It was what happened after that I could never fucking tell anybody, starting with when I went looking for you the next day. I went back to Canal Street, hoping to run into you. Nothing. I spent the entire rest of my week until my parents’ money was gone looking for you. Like a lost fucking lovesick puppy. But I never saw you again. I dreamed about you all summer. Were you a student? Did you work in the city? What if you had just been a tourist? I started to think I’d never see you again. Until that first fucking class, mn.

"Now, Tobi was my roommate from day one, and he’s a dickhead but I couldn’t help but think there was something familiar about him. His looks, that dark hair… His eyes are darker than yours, almost black. If he had red eyes like you I would have guessed it in a heartbeat, mn. He kept going on and on about you, his big cousin in the art department. Supervised our painting tutorials. Ran the art department climbing club. I missed the Freshers’ Week shit or I’d probably have run into you at the climbing club stall. So of course… well, I don’t think I need to remind you what happened... mn."

Itachi chuckled at this. “You were so bold, Deidara. I couldn’t believe how you went at me. In front of a full classroom. What did you say? ‘It’s you!’ and then ‘I thought I’d never see you again!’”

Deidara blushed. This was the part he hated thinking about. He still had nightmares about it.

“Looking back, I’m glad I slipped and fell on my ass rather than actually take you into my arms and start making out with you like I’d intended, mn. I died a thousand deaths when you looked down at me and said ‘I’ve never seen you before in my life. Take a seat freshman, you’re late.’ I couldn’t fucking believe you were a teacher, mn.”

“But you didn’t drop it there. You were so adamant. Shouting… what did you shout?”

“I can’t remember…” Deidara blushed.

“You said ‘How could you leave me after a night like that?’ You were being so dramatic I thought it was a prank, like someone had put you up to it and you were a terrible actor. Now that I know you, I know that’s just what you’re like.”

As if to prove this point, Deidara shook his hair, spread his hands and exclaimed: “I was so sure it was you! I couldn’t fucking believe you didn’t remember me. I am not a forgettable person! Mn!”

Laughing, Itachi looked down at his hands. “No, you are not. But…”

“But…?”

“But when I remembered who you were and what we’d done, I knew I couldn’t say anything. It was easier to just lie to you and never come forward than to…”

“Than to… what? God, you’re worse than Sasori at talking about the hard shit, mn.”

Itachi sighed. “It was easier to lie and pretend it never happened than open that door to you. I can’t date students. We can’t date students. It’s in our contracts.”

Deidara blanched at this. “What? Sasori never—”

“Sasori loves you,” Itachi murmured still staring at his hands. “There’s this thing between the two of you, I don’t know… like magnets. He couldn’t have stayed away from you if he tried.” He looked up at Deidara, his mahogany eyes calm but deep within them Deidara sensed something like worry. “If the wrong people ever find out about you two, there will be hell to pay.”

Rather than respond, Deidara stood briskly and walked over to the shopping bags of supplies he had bought.

“Let’s get started, mn.”

**Author's Note:**

> Song: "Admit Defeat" by Bastille


End file.
